Sweden Democrats

A year after the election in Slovenia the two biggest rivals, the Freedom Movement and the Democrats (SDS), are neck-and-neck at the top of the polls. There is unprecedented polarisation, the ruling party's falling ratings show its honeymoon is over and the opposition is in a state of flux, pundits say.

A right-wing bloc that includes a nationalist anti-immigration party won a narrow majority in Sweden's parliament Wednesday. It was a major political shift in the Scandinavian country that had a decades-long history of welcoming refugees, but is grappling with a crime wave linked with immigration.

Ljubljana – The presidency of the junior coalition Social Democrats (SD) decided on Monday that the party will put forward its own candidate for the upcoming presidential election. The internal candidacy procedure will remain open until 15 July.

Minister for Climate and the Environment Annika Strandhll and the president of the federal board of the women's faction of the Social Democrats, told the newspaper "Svenska dagbladet" (The Swedish Daily News) that the women's faction opposes joining NATO. That faction has a "long history of fighting for issues related to peace, disarmament, detente and non-entry into military alliances".

Ljubljana – Commenting on the general election results, Social Democrats (SD) leader Tanja Fajon said on Sunday her party, which came in fourth, was satisfied over “the attainment of the common goal”, meaning that the new government will no longer be centre-right but centre-left. “People have been hungry for change and we must enable this change now.”

Ljubljana – Economist Jože P. Damijan, the author of the idea for the Constitutional Arch Coalition (KUL), has been joined by a group of more than two dozen former officials as well as businessmen, scientists and other professionals in launching a centre-left development agenda that they plan to realise in collaboration with existing political players.

Ljubljana – The opposition Social Democrats (SD) set out their election manifesto on Saturday with the promise of a new beginning and major changes over the next decade, including higher pay and shorter work week. In her address to the party conference, SD leader Tanja Fajon described the programme as a development-oriented vision.

Ljubljana – Four opposition parties have filed a motion to oust Education, Science and Sport Minister Simona Kustec over what they see as “unprofessional and harmful policies” in organising child care and education during the epidemic, which has led to the longest school and kindergarten closure in Europe. She was urged to resign before the vote.

The Local - A Swedish city council has voted to require people to apply for a permit if they plan to "passively" beg for money -- but the decision could still be overturned before coming into force.

Under the new measures, anyone who wants to "passively collect money" on Eskilstuna's streets and public squares must apply to police for a licence. 

A fire broke out at a mosque in Sweden early on Dec. 29 in what appeared to be the second arson attack in less than a week on a place of Muslim worship, officials said.

No-one was reported hurt in the blaze, which started around 3 a.m. at a mosque in the southern town of Eslov, police said in a statement. The fire was quickly put out and caused only minor damage, it said.